A plea for a reconciliation between the Jews of Hungary and the large section of the population which, passively or actively, participated in the persecution inflicted upon them, was made in the parliament yesterday, by a spokesman of the majority Small Holders Party.
In the first official statement on the Jewish question, Dr. Dezsoe Sulyok declared that there was “tension on both sides,” but said that in the interests of the country the resentment and bitterness must be wiped out, and all persons must be recognized as equal citizens.
He admitted that the Jews had suffered “horrible and unforgettable persecutions,” adding that “one side must forgive and forget the dreadful happenings, while the other must admit that horrors were committed.”
Dr. Sulyok stressed that Jews must obtain satisfaction for their sufferings. He said that the first step in this direction should be a statement that Hungarian Jewry had been subjected to suffering without cause, followed by punishment of the persons directly responsible for the atrocities. “Yet, once the punishment is over,” he concluded, “reconciliation must begin.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.